Telegraph transmitting system



Sept. 29,'1942. M. T. GOETZ TELEGRAPH TRANSMITTING SYSTEM Filed July 15,1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. MAURUS T. GOETZ .Il lfrrl H S55/mm.. sHl ATT RNEY.

Sept. 29, 1942.

M. T. GoE-rz TELEGRAPH TRANSMITTING SYSTEM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Julyl5, 1940 FIG.4

34 33 Flo INVENTOR. "J" MAURUS T. GOETZ 42% ATTO FIG. 5

Patented Sept. 29, 1942 2,296,845 TELEGRAPH TRANSMITTING SYSTEM MaurusT. Goetz, Chicago,

type Corporation, Chicago,

of Delaware Ill., asslgnor to Tele- Ill., a corporation Application July15, 1940, Serial No. 345,456

17 Claims.

This invention pertains to printing telegraph apparatus and systems andmore particularly to .transmitter distributors and control arrangementstherefor.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a selector system tocontrol transmission to a single channel of communication from a groupof transmitters.

Another object is to provide for the automatic sequential transmissionof messages to a single channel of communication from a multiplicity oftape transmitters.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a record reader havingmeans for sensing indicia in a control record strip, a control means andmeans effective under a certain condition of operation of the recordreader indicative of record strip depletion to operate the controllmeans.

A further object of the invention is to provide a record readercomprising means for sensing indicia in a record strip, control means,and means effective under certain predetermined conditions of operationof said sensing means to operate said control means momentarily.

vTo facilitate cross-cnice handling of messages, particularly incommercial telegraph ofllces, this invention provides a selector systemand apparatus which will permit sequential automatic transmission ofmessages to a single outgoing channel of' communication from individualtransmitting units of a number of groups or banks of units ldistributedabout the oilice. That is, one or more units of each group of units maybe connected to the same outgoing line, and the selector systemaccording to the present invention controls the sequence in whichtransmission from these units takes place. The individual units may beconnected either directly to an outgoing line, or to a commonreperforator located adjacent to a common transmitter connected directlyto an outgoing line. The individual transmitter units identified with aparticular channel of communication may or may not, be in thesame bankor multiple unit.

A feature of the invention resides in providing at each segment of abrush type distributor, an electromagnetically operated means forstopping the brush arm which is effective under the control ofindividualunits of a multiple tape transmitter distributor.

A more complete understanding of the foregoing and other objects andfeatures of the present invention may be had from the followingdescription when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, inwhich Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus according to thepresent invention with parts broken away to show more clearly internalstructural features;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a bank of transmitters mounted on a common baseand driven by a common motor;

Fig. 3 is a schematic electrical diagram of a selector system showingthe means for automatically controlling transmission from the transmit-.f

ters of the type shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the transmitter according to the presentinvention with parts broken away to show internal structure;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on line 1-1 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 8 is a schematic representation of a set of transmitting contacts;and

Fig. 9 is a fragmental top view of the transmitter showing the tapeguiding means.

Having reference to Fig. l, the tape transmitter according to thepresent invention comprises a base plate II on which are mountedsupports I2, I3, I4 and I5 for a top plate I6. Journaled in supports I2and i3 is a shaft I1 which carries a sleeve S2 on which are assembledcams I8 to 26, inclusive. Cam I8 is the start-stop cam and controis thetransmission of the start and the stop impulses of the start-stoppermutation code signals, the transmission of which the device of thepresent, linvention is adapted to control. Each of the cams I8 to 23 isprovided with a notch 21, and these notches are arranged successivelyaround shaft I1 in a helical manner such that, upon rotation of the camassembly, a corresponding series of contacts 28 are operatedsequentially to effect the transmission of permutation code signals 'inwell-known manner.

Interposed between each cam I8 to 23 and its associated contact 2B is abell crank lever 29 freely mounted on a shaft 3|. The vertical arm ofeach of the levers 29 terminates in a reverted portion which controlsthe opening and closing of the associated contact 28. The horizontal armof each of said levers 29 is provided with a cam lug or follower 32which cooperates with the notch 21 of its associated cam of the seriesof cams IB to 23 to close thecontact 29 momentarily and at the properinstant in the code cycle. Having blocking relation with thefree end ofthe horizontal arm of each bell crank lever 29 is the depending arm of abell crank lever 33 (Fig. 6) pivotally supported on a shaft 34 mountedin brackets I2 and I3. rptate clockwise (as viewed in Fig. 6) undex theinuence of its individual spring 35.

It is observed that there is no bell crank lever 33 associated with thestart-stop cam I8, and hence its associated contact 28 is invariablyopened and closed for each cycle of rotation of the cam assembly onshaft I1. As is well-known in start-stop telegraphy the start-stop camI8 is so positioned on shaft I 1 that in the stop position the cam notch21 is disposed directly over the cam follower 32 so that the contact 28associated therewith remains closed owing to the resiliency of thecontact spring 36 of the pair of contacts 28. This condition isillustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 8, wherein start-stop contact 28 isindicated as contact 31, and since the stop condition of thetransmission line is a marking condition (that is, with current on theline), contact 31 is normally closed.

As previously alluded to, the depending arms of levers 33 act to blockor permit the operation of levers 29. This blocking relation iscontrolled by the reading or sensing of a perforated tape 38 by a recordreader comprising a group of sensing pins 39, each of which is carriedon the horizontal arm of individual bell crank levers 33. The bell cranklevers 33, which will hereinafter be referred to as the tape sensinglevers, are normally held in their counterclockwise position, as shownin Fig. 6, by means of a ball 4I adjustably secured to a lever 42 (Fig.'7) by a slot and screw adustment, indicated by the numeral 43. Bail 4Iand lever 42 are pivotally supported on shaft 34. and lever 42 carries acam follower roller 44 which is caused to ride on a cam 25 by a spring46 fastened to the extremity of lever 42 and tending to bias said levercounterclockwise. The anguiar positionment of cam notch 41 of cam 25 isso related to the notches 21 on cams I8 to 23 that the bail 4I is timedto rotate clockwise to permit springs 35 to cause the tape sensinglevers 33 to bring their sensing pins .39 into contact with the tape 38in sufficient time so that the tape may be sensed and the blockingportions of levers 33 set correspondingly to allow the goose neck levers29 to control contacts 28 in accordance with the code perforated in thetape 38.

In other words, when the bail 4I is operated clockwise to permit thesensing levers 33 to sense the tape 38, those levers 33 whose pins 39have found a perforation in the tape 38 will be rotated clockwise bytheir springs 35 to swing their depending arms out of blocking relationwith the horizontal arms of the associated goose neck levers 29, so thatwhen the projections 32 thereof ride on the peripheries of theirassociated cams I8 to 23, and when a cam notch 21 registers with itsprojection 32, the goose neck lever 29 associated therewith will berotated clockwise by the action of contact spring 36, thereby permittingthe associated contact 28 to close. On the other hand, if no perforationis found by the pin 39, the goose neck lever 29 corresponding theretowill be blocked and no rotation of goose neck lever 29 or closing ofcontact 28 identified therewith will occur.

Also carried on shaft I1 is the tape stepping cam 26, which cooperateswith a tape stepping lever 48 comprising a cam follower portion 49 and apawl carrying portion 54 both of which are pivotally supported on shaft34 and adjustably secured to each other by slot and screw Each of thelevers 33 tends to.

means, indicated at 52. Portion 43 of lever 48 carries a cam followerroller 53 which by means of a spring 54 constantly rides on theperiphery of cam 26. Portion I of lever 48 carries a stepping pawl 55which is maintained in cooperative engagement with a ratchet wheel 56 bya spring 51. Ratchet wheel 56 is secured to a shaft 58, to which is alsofixed a tape feed sprocket wheel 59 the pins 6I of which mesh with therow of feed holes (not shown) in the tape 38 in the usual manner. Afeature 'of this tape feeding or advancing arrangement resides in thefact that the tape feed sprocket is of such diameter as to per- .mit thetape sensing pins 39 to be arranged directly in line with the operativesprocket pins 6I so that the last code signal perforated in the tape 38can be sensed and transmitted, whereas in prior arrangements the tapefeed pins 6I were operative in advance of the sensing pins 39 (to theleft, in Fig. 6) and hence several blank or unperforated areas (exceptfor feed holes), or in some cases letters or all-marking codecombinations, had to be perforated in the tape to 'assure that theentire perforated message would be fed to the sensing position.

In the stop position of cam 26, the follower roller 53 rests in the camnotch therein, so that upon initiation of rotation of the cam assemblyfor the transmission of a code signal, the follower roller 53 rides uponto the high dwell of the cam 26. causing the lever 48 to rotatecounterclockwise, whereby the pawl 55 falls into engagement with thenext tooth of ratchet wheel 56. Then at approximately the end of thecycle of rotation, after the code signal has been transmitted, thefollower roller 53 again falls into the cam notch, thereby causing thelever 48 to rotate clockwise under the inuence of spring54 andpermitting pawl 55 to rotate the ratchet wheel 56 (and hence, feed wheel59) one step, to advance the tape 38 correspondlngly- Cams I8 to 26 aremounted on sleeve62 freely rotatable on shaft I1, which sleeve issplined to a driven clutch member 63 of a. jaw or toothed clutch 64, thedriving member 65 of which is fixed to shaft I1. A clutch throw-outlever 66 (Fig. 5) pivoted at 61 acts to cam the driven portion 63leftwardly, as view in Fig. 4, in wellknown manner, in cooperation witha Camportion (not shown) on flange 468 when spring 69 biases the lever66 counterclockwise (as viewed in Fig. 5). Lever 66 is provided with apole piece 1I which cooperates with an electromagnet 12 (Figs. 3 and 5),so that when the electromagnet 12 is energized, as will hereinafterappear. thc lever 66 will be rotated clockwise against the pull ofspring 69 to release the upper end of lever 66 from the driven portionpermitting spring 13 to urge portion 63 rightwardly ,into meshingengagement with driving portion 65, thus causing rotation of the camsassembled on sleeve 62. Constantrotation is lmparted to the drivingportion 65 of clutch 64 by a gear 14, also fixed to shaft I1, whichthrough a train of gears derives its power from a motor 15 (Fig. 4).

Referring to Figs. 2 and 4, the motor 15 is common to a battery orplurality of transmitting units 16 such as shown in Fig. 1. The motor 15and the series of transmitting units 16 are mounted on a common base 11.'A pinion gear,l 19 of motor, and meshes' 18 is fixed to shaft with anidler gear 8| carried on-f'stud 82 secured to bracket 83 mounted on base11. Journaled in a pair of brackets 84 supported on 63 of clutch 64,thereby base 1115 8|y inga shaft 85 on which is ilxedly carried a gear85 meshedwith idler gear 8|. and a gear 81 meshed with gear 14 securedto shaft I1. Each of the units 16 is provided with a gear 14, which inturn is meshed with a gear corresponding to gear 81 fixed to shaft 85.Hence, through motor pinion 18 and gears 8|, 86, and the plurality ofpairs of gears 81 and 14, constant rotation is imparted to the shafts l1individual to each of the units.` 15.

One feature of the invention resides in providmechanism which iseffective automatically, when the end of the tape 38 is reached and is.stepped or advanced past the sensing pins 39'. to open a contact 88(Fig. 5) to suspend transmission, as will hereinafter appear. A tapesensing pin 89, preferably of slightly larger diameter than the sensingpins 39, is carried on a special sensing lever 9| (Figs. 1 and 4) alsopivoted on shaft 34. Pin 89 is adapted to sense, not a perforation inthe tape, but instead the edge of the tape, so that as long as there istape to be fed through the transmitter, the upward movementof the pin-39, and hence of the lever 9|, is limited by the tape. But when the endof the tape is reached and is stepped past the sensing point by theratchet 56 and feed wheel 59, the movement of pin 89 is no longerblocked and lever 9| is per mitted to rotate a predetermined amountclockwise (as viewed in Fig. by its spring 92 (Fig. l) to disengage thedepending arm 93 (Fig. 5) thereof from latching engagement with arm 94of a three-armed lever 95 plvoted on shaft 3|. Lever 95 is provided witha cam follower arm 96 which invariably rides on the periphery of cam 24and invariably falls into the cam notch 91 by the amountof theovertravel (exemplified by space 90 between latch arm 93 and arm 94,Fig. 5) required to reset arm 94 in latching relation with arm 93.However, after disengagement of arm 93 from arm 94, follower 96, at aninstant determined by the angular positionment of cam notch 91, fallsfully into said notch due to the pull of a spring 98 connected to arm 99of lever 95. In response to this counterclockwise movement of lever 95,a pin |01 carried thereon strikes against an arm |02 of a special gooseneck lever |03 to rotate lever |03 counterclockwise (as viewed in Fig.5) to open the contact 08 to break the energizing circuit for magnet 12,hereinafter traced.

The free end of arm |02 cooperates with the vertical arm of a latchlever |04 pivoted at |05 in such manner that, when lever |03 is rotatedcounterclockwise by pin the arm |02 becomes latched up by lever |04under the influence of spring |06 which normally tends to bias lever |04clockwise. On the other hand, lever |04 is provided with a horizontalarm which is adapted to be acted upon by a stud |01 (Fig. 1) carried ona vertically slidable bar |08, which is guided for reciprocation by anotch in top plate |6 and by a screw |09 engaged by a slot in bar |08.Bar |08 is normally biased lupwardly by a spring ||2 extending fromplate I6 to a spring post ||3 on said bar so that, when bar |08 isvdepressed against the action of spring H2, the stud |01 strikes thehorizontal arm of lever |04, which is rotated clockwise (as viewed inFig. 1) to cause the disengagement of the latch at the end of itsverticalarm from arm |02 of goose neck lever |03 to permit the closureof contact 88.

Bar |08 also carries a pin ||4 and a contact controlling element ||5.Pin ||4 cooperates with the horizontal arm of a three-armed lever ||6,which is pivoted at |1 and is biased by a spring ||8 (Fig. 5) in suchmanner that a detent roller ||9, carried at the extremity of thevertical arm thereof, engages the teeth of tape feed ratchet 56. Whenthe bar |08 is manually depressed, the element ||5 cams the contact |2|(Fig. 1) open, and the pin ||4 rotates lever ||6 counterclockwise (asviewed in Fig. 5) against the action of spring ||8; and in so dolng, thedepending arm of lever ||8 acts upon pawl 55 to rotate the iatter,against the pull of spring 51, to disengage the pawl tooth from theteeth of ratchet wheel 55. Under this condition (that is, while bar |08is held depressed) the ratchet wheel 56 and feed wheel 59 are freelyrotatable so as to facilitate the introduction of a new strip ofperforated tape 38, which, as is known, is slipped between the face ofgroove |22 and a guide'plate |82 (Figs. 4 and 9).

Contact 88, stop magnet 12 and contact |2| are included as willpresently appear, in a control circuit for magnet 12. When a message isbeing transmitted under the control of a tape 38, the arm |02 of gooseneck lever |03 is not latched by latch lever |04, and hence the contact83 controlled by lever 03 is closed. Since bar |08 is held in its upwardposition, the contact |2| controlled thereby is also closed. Thus,through the means shown in Fig. 3, the energizing circuit for stopmagnet 12 is completed, and the lever 66 is held in its clockwise orattracted position (Fig. 5)

against the pull of spring 69, so that the upper end of lever 66 nolonger eng-ages cam 68 of member 63 of clutch 64, thus permitting themembers 63 and 65 to engage to impart rotation to cam cylinder 62,whereupon signals are transmitted and the tape 38 advanced step by stepdue to the cyclic rotation of cam 26. When the end of the tape 38 isreached, the pin 89 is no longer blocked thereby, and hence lever 9| isrotated to disengage arm 93 from arm. 94, and at the proper instant whencam follower 96 falls into notch 91, the pin |0| will strike arm |02 torotate lever |03 suiiiciently to open contact 88 to control thebreakingof the energizing circuit for magnet 12, which, upon de-energization,permits lever 66 to open clutc-h 64 and stop rotation of cam cylinder62. At the same time, arm |02 becomes latched by` latch lever |04,and/the transmitter 16 remains unoperated until transmission is againresumed by the introduction of a new strip or section of tape. Theintroduction of a new strip of tape is facilitated upon depression ofbar |08 manually, which, through pin I i4, acts to rotate lever i6 toremove detent ||9 and pawl 55 from operative relationship with ratchetwheel 56, thus permitting shaft 58 (which carries ratchet wheel 56 andfeed wheel 59) to be rotated freely. The bar |08 upon being depressed,also acts, through pin |01, to unlatch lever |04 from arm |02. Bar |08is thereby dually effective to restore the tape-out control means to thefurther control o-f the feeler pin 89 and to facilitate the introductionof a new supply of tape.

The present invention also provides for momentarily opening contact 88automatically when certain operating conditions are desired. Under thesec0nditions,the lever |04 is held in its clockwise position (Fig. 1) outof latching relation with arm |02 by a screw |23 which is adjustablypositionable in a slot |24 in plate |25, the said screw being adjustedto its lowermost position in slot |24 to depress the horizontal arm oflever |04 and hold it against the action of spring |06.

The horizontal arms of the tape sensing levers 33 are provided withenlarged ends so that a laterally extending portion |26 (Fig. 4) at theextremity of the vertical arm of a three-armed lever |21, pivoted at|80, will cooperate only with the ends of the series of code holesensing levers 33. and not with the special lever 9|. Lever 21 is alsoprovided with an arm |28 which cooperates with notch 91 in cam 24. Lever|21 is further provided with an arm |29 terminating in a laterallydisposed portion |3| adapted to overlie arm |02 of gooseneck lever |03.A spring |32 normally tends to rotate lever |21 in a clockwise direction(Fig. 6) so that the laterally disposed extremity of arm |28 constantlyrides on cam 24. In this manner, lever |21, through its bail portion|26, is adapted to sense the ends of the tape sensing levers 33 onceduring each revolution of am 23, when the end of arm |28 tends to fallinto notch 21 (Fig. 6). The end of arm |28 can fall fully into notch 21only when an all-marking condition occurs in the tape 36, the sensing ofwhich by pins 39 permits all levers 33 to rotate counterclockwise underthe action of their springs 35 to cause the ends of the horizontal armsof said levers 33 to clear the bail portion |26 of 1ever 21, whereuponlever |21 responds hilly to the pull of its spring |32'so that end 3| ofarm |29 strikes against arm |82 of lever |03, causing lever v|83 torotate counterclockwise to open its associated contact 88. Lever |21remains in the fully selected clockwise position only for a shortinterval (corresponding to transmission time for one impulse), and isrestored before the end of the same cycle in which its selection by aletters (all-marking) combination occurred. Lever |21 will remain in itscounterclockwise position until another all-marking code combination issensed in the tape 38.

Formed in the top plate I6 is a shallow groove |8| of tape width, bymeans of which the tape 38 is guided therealong, and mounted on the topplate I6 and overlying groove |8| is a tapeguide plate or lid |82. Thelid |62 is provided with bevelled edges |83 and |84, and a laterallydisposed stop lug |85. A bar |86 is secured to top plate I6 and providesa iixed stop or guide for the lid |82 to assure its proper placementwith respect to the sensing pins 39. Also mounted on plate i 6 andarranged parallel to bar |86 is a clamping member |81 which is providedwith an obliquely positioned slotted hole |88 that cooperates with aclamping screw |89. Clamping screw |89 is provided with a knurled thumbportion and is threadedinto plate I6, so that when the screw |89 isloosened, the member |81 is movable leftwardly and downwardly (as viewedin Fig. 9), thus increasing the distance between members |86 and |81 andpermitting the ready removal of lid |82. Conversely, to apply lid |82 tothe plate I6, the lid |82, in being laid on plate I6, is pressed againstxed bar |86, bringing portion |85 tightly against the end of bar |86 toproperly locate lid |82 with respect to the sensing pins 39. Then themember |81 is urged toward the bar |86, the camming relation between theslotted hole |88 and screw |69 acting to readily clamp the lid |82securely between the members |86 and |81, and, after the lid |82 isproperly seated, the screw |89 is tightened, thereby securelymaintaining the lid |82 in place. Lid |82 is preferably of transparentmaterial to facilitate reading of the entire section of tape. This tapeguidearrangement is disclosed and claimed in copending patentapplication Ser. No. 345,449 led July 15, 1940, by Gordon Sim.

In Fig. 3 there is shown a selector system for screw |51, and

automatically controlling transmission from the transmitters of thepresent invention. A brush type distributor is indicated generally as|50. and comprises an inner ring 5| and a plurality of segments |52 inan outer ring.. An arm 53 is clamped to the shaft |54 of the distributor|50 and is frictionallv driven in well-known manner. Arm |53 carries acompound lever consisting of two parts or members |55 and |56,

capable of mutual adjustment by means of a plvoted as an assembly on ashoulder screw- |58. The right end of member |55 is arranged to engagean upturned lug |59 on arm |53 and also it will engage any of the stoplevers |6| associated with magnets |62. The stop levers 6| consist ofarmature levers for magnets |62 and are pivoted on the magnet yokemembers |63, the portion of lever |6| upstanding from the pivotconstitutes the stop for lever member 55 and the depending arm oi thelever carries a pole piece (not shown) which cooperates with the core ofthe magnet |62. Upon energizatlon of magnet |62 the stop lever |6| isrotated so as to bring its upstanding arm into the path of member |55against the action of its spring |64. When the magnet 62 becomesdeenergized the spring |64 will rotate stop lever |6| so that theupstanding arm is withdrawn from the path of member |55.

Rotating arm |53 also carries a pair of contacts |65 secured to upturnedlug |66. .Contacts |65 are closed when member |55 engages any one of thestop levers 6|. Also carried on arm |53 are two brushes |61 and |68insulated therefrom, and connected -by wires |69 and |1| to the twosprings of contact pair |65. Brush |61 engages the inner ring |5| towhich is connected positive battery |12, and the brush |68 impressesthis positive battery upon the particular segment |52 on which it stopswhen member |55 engages a stop lever |6| and closes contact pair |65.

The selector system comprising the distributor |50 is arranged with onemagnet |62 located diametrically opposite to a corresponding seg- Eachmagnet |62 is connected by a of a transrespective transmitterdistributor When tapes are placed in any or all of the connectedtransmitter distributors 16 connected to the outer segments 52, theirrespective magnets |62 are energized, over a circuit (Fig. 3) extendingfrom ground, through winding of magnet |62, thence through into the pathof the right extension of member |55 carried on arm |53. Since arm 53normally tends to rotate continuously, the rst stop lever |6| whichmoved into its path would engage the right end of member 55, which inturn would be rotated clockwise about shoulder screw |58 until stoppedby upturned lug |59. This clockwise rotation closes contact |65 vandcompletes the circuit from positive battery, through ring |5|, brush|61, contact |65, brush |68, segment |52, wire |14 and through thewinding of extends to a position where.

amenace 3. In a record reader, means for sensing inl control means,means ei- 1 clutch magnet 12 to ground, thereby energizing theparticular transmitter distributor 12 connected to thefsegnient engagedby the brush itl. and permits tlgeperi'grated tape to be fed throughthat transmitt'erf.

Meanwhilethe other magnets Il! which may have been energized by the'4`sence of tape in their respecwe remainin this energized condition.,Awhen th tape'sg has been fed past the speciali-sensing pin 88 i'nitheltransmitter, its contact I8 ope ,d deenergizes the magnet |52, thuspermitti to withdraw stop lever |6| irnrtbeypa "Y |55. The compoundlever compris v |55 and |58 immediatehr rotates oounterclockwise underthe influence' oi the contact spring and contact |55 opens, therebydeenergizing the clutch trip magnet 12 of th'e connected transmittingdistributor and stopping transmission from that unit. Brush arm |53 thenbegins rotation and continues in the direction shown in Fig. 3 untilmember |55 engages the next stop lever |6| which is in an operatedposition. Accordingly, the several transmitters 15 are connected to theoutgoing channels |15 to |80 in a sequence predetermined by theirassignment to segments |52 of the outer ring.

While only eight segments |52 are shown in the embodiment illustrated inFig. 3. it is manifest that the number of segments may be increased ordecreased over a wide range. Moreover, the segments |52 of a singledistributor |50 need not all be connected to the clutch trip magnets 12of the same assembly of units 16, shown in Fig. 2, but one or moresegments |52 may be connected to the clutch trip magnets 12 of one ormore multiple transmitter distributors.

In the event that it is not desired to have the brush arm |53 rotatedcontinuously when there is tape in no one of the transmitters 16, one ofthe segments may be assigned as a dead position and its magnet |62selected by a chain circuit through a series of contacts, one contactfor each of the other magnets, which contacts are arranged to beoperated when the other magnets are deenergized. Thus, when all of theother magnets |62 are deenergized, a series circuit Will be completed tocause the energization of the magnet |62 assigned tn the dead positionthereby stopping arm |53 in this position, until tape is placed in oneor more of the transmitters 16.

Although the present invention has been disclosed in connection withcertain specific embodiments thereof, it is understood that suchembodiments are merely illustrative and not restrictive, and that allforms coming within the scope of equivalency of the appended claims areintended to be covered by theinvention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a record reader, means for sensing a record strip including aspecial sensing means, con- I trol means, a sequence device, meansresponsive to said special sensing means under certain operatingconditions to operate said control means to govern the operation of saidsequence device, and manually operated means to restore said controlmeans to further control of said sensing means.

2. In a record reader, means for sensing indicia in a record strip,control means, means effective under certain conditions of operation ofsaid sensing means to operate said control means, and manually operatedmeans to restore said control means to the further control of saidsensing means.

dicia in a record strip, fectlve under a certain condition of operationof said sensing means indicative of record strip depletion tending tooperate said control means, and means dually effective to restore saidcontrol means, when operated, to the further control of said sensingmeans and to facilitate the introduction of a new supply of recordstrip.

4. In a record reader, means for sensing indicia in a record strip,control means, means effective under a certain condition of operation ofsaid sensing means' indicative of record strip depletion to operate saidcontrol'means, `and manually operated means dually effective to restbresaid control means tothe further control of said sensing means and tofacilitate the introduction of a new supply of record strip.

5. In combination, a record reader including means for sensing indiciain a record strip, control means, cam means for timing the operation ofsaid control means, a sequence device, and means effective under acertain condition of operation of said record reader indicative ofrecord strip depletion to operate, through the instrumentality of saidcam means, said control means to govern said sequence device.

6. In combination, a record reader including .means for sensing indiciain a record strip, control means, means eiective under a certaincondition of operation of said record reader indicative of record stripdepletion to operate said ccntrol means, and means dually effective torestore said control means to the further control of said sensing meansand to facilitate the introduction of a new supply of record strip.

7. In combination, a record reader having a row of feeler pinsA forsensing indicia in a record strip, control means, timing means for saidcontrol means, and an additional feeler `pin in said row effective under-a certain condition of operation of said record reader indicative ofrecord strip depletion to operate through said timing means said controlmeans 8. In combination, a record reader having a row of feeler pins forsensing indicia in a record strip, control mea-ns, an additional eelerpinin said row effective under -a certain condition of operation of saidrecord reader indicative of record strip depletion to operate saidcontrol means, and means dually effective to restore said control meansto the further sensing of said ieeler pins and to facilitate theintroduction of a new supply of record strip.

9. In a. telegraph system, a single ch-annel of communication, aplurality of transmitters, sending contacts in each transmitter, arecord reader in each transmitter for controlling the sending contactsthereof, a seeker means, means for conrecord reader effective under a-certain -condition of operation thereof indicative of record stripdepletion for controlling said seeker conditioning means to govern theconnection of said transmitters to said channel of communication.

10. In a telegraph system, a single channel of communication, aplurality of tape transmitters, each transmitter comprising meansiforsensing indicia in said tape, control means, and means eiective under acertain condition of operation of said sensing means indicative ofrecord strip depletion to operate said control means, a seeker means,and means eiective under the control of said control means forconditioning said seeker means to govern the connection ot saidtransmitters to said channel of communication.

11. In a telegraph system, a single channel of communication, aplurality of tapetransmitters, each transmitter comprising meansforsensing indicia. in said tape, control means, means effective under acertain condition o1' operation of said sensing means indicative orrecord strip depletion to operate said control means, and clutch meansto govern the effectiveness of said transmitter, seeker means, and meanseiiective under the control of'said control means for conditioning saidseeker means to govern, through the instrumentality of said clutchmeans, the connection of said transmitters to said channel ofcommunication.

12. In combination, a record reader having Aa row of feeler pins forsensing indicia in a record strip, control means, timing means for saidcontrol means, and additional means for detecting the presence orabsence of said strip in said sensing position to operate through saidtiming means said control means accordingly.

13. In a telegraph system, a single channel of communication, aplurality of transmitters, sending contacts in each transmitter, arecord reader in each transmitter .for controlling the sending contactsthereof, switching means, means for conditioning said switching means,and means 1n said record reader eecttve under a certain conditionthereof indicative of record strip depletion 1for controlling saidconditioning means to govern the switching of said transmitters to saidchannel of communication.

14. In a record reader, means for sensing indicia in a tape, cyclicallyoperable tape stepping means, 4control means, means effective under acertain condition of operation of said sensing means indicative of tapedepletion to operate said control means, and manually operated meansdually eiective to restore said control means to the further control ofsaid sensing means and to disable said cyclically operable tape steppingmeans to facilitate the introduction oi' a new supply of tape. l

15. In a, record reader, means for dicia in a record strip, specialsensing means, cyclically rotatable cam means, a sequence device, andmechanical instrumentalities operable under the control of said specialsensing means, through the instrumentality of said cam means, to controlthe operation of said sequence device.

16. In a record reader, means for sensing indicia in a record stripincluding a special sensing means, cyclically rotatable cam means,follower means for said cam means, said follower having iatchingrelationship with said special sensing means to govern under certainpredetermined operating conditions the effectiveness of said follower,control means, a control lever Ifor said control means, means on saidfollower lever for actuating said control lever, detent means forholding said control lever in actuated position. and manually operatedmeans to restore said sensing incontrol means to further control of saidsensing means.

17. In a record reader, means for sensing indicia in a record stripincluding additional means for sensing a condition of record stripdepletion, timing means, a timing lever therefor, said additional meanshaving blocking relationship with said timing lever to govern inresponse to record strip depletion the effectiveness of said lever,control means, a control lever for said control means, means on saidtiming lever for actuating said control lever, detent means for holdingsaid control lever in actuated position, and manually operated means torestore said control means to further control of said additional means.

MAURUS T. GOETZ.

